Question: Write the following expression in its most factored form: $8x-16$
Answer: To factor a polynomial, you should first try to find the greatest common factor of all the terms. The factors of $8x$ are $1$ $2$ $4$ $8$ , and $x$ and the factors of $-16$ are $1$ $2$ $4$ $8$ , and $16$ The greatest common factor of $8x$ and $-16$ is $8$ We can factor out the $8$ and put it before the parenthesis. If we divide each of the terms in the original expression by $8$ we get $\dfrac{8x}{8} = x$ and $\dfrac{-16}{8} = -2$ So the factored expression is $8(x - 2)$.